MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Tua Tagovailoa has largely taken the high road when it comes to his fraught relationship with Brian Flores when the latter was the Miami Dolphins head coach.
Tagovailoa never earned Flores’ trust in their two years together. And based on Tagovailoa’s comments here Wednesday, he might not have earned it if they spent two decades together.
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Tua Tagovailoa’s Leadership Answer Reveals Schism With ex-Miami Dolphins Coach
On Wednesday, Tagovailoa was asked about his leadership style and if it has evolved since the Dolphins made him the No. 5 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
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Tagovailoa’s answer wasn’t particularly subtle. In short, Flores wanted him to be someone he wasn’t, while current Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel encourages Tua to be true to himself.
Here’s his answer in its entirety:
“I definitely have become more vocal. I think when I came into the league during COVID, it was a little hard for me to find myself leading the way I wanted to lead because of the hierarchy with how I was told I should have led. It just wasn’t the way I felt comfortable with.
“And so I didn’t lead in that sense. I continued to lead the way I felt was necessary and being the true character to myself. And so, you know, having Mike and the new coaching staff come in has definitely helped allow me to be myself, and with that, with me being able to be myself, that’s just how I became to be more vocal, feeling comfortable talking to guys certain ways and it’s also how you approach guys in the league.”
“Some people respond better when you yell at them, some respond better if you just pull them to the side and have a man-to-man conversation. And there’s just different ways that you go about that. And I would say that’s sort of my leadership.”
I asked Tua whether the way he leads from the podium (especially after losses) is a learned trait. @5ReasonsSports pic.twitter.com/bBl8xJ5qus
— Ethan J. Skolnick, 5 Reasons Sports (@EthanJSkolnick) October 4, 2023
Flores’ style certainly was more abrasive than Tagovailoa preferred. He’d yell and, quite frankly, impose his will on his players and assistants. McDaniel is more collaborative (although that certainly doesn’t mean he never screams).
But the vibe is usually positive — which is in line with Tagovailoa’s general disposition.
“You always want to try to uplift the guys,” Tua said. “Everyone’s hard on themselves already. It’s a dog-eat-dog world. Those guys know that everyone has their job at stake every week. And so, you know, everyone already has that negative thought. ‘If I don’t do this, if I don’t do that.’
“So for sure, wanna positively reinforce things when I’m explaining or having to talk to them, and then there’s just times where it’s like, ‘OK, we talked about this multiple times like, we can’t be doing that, and that’s the bottom line.'”